


Rise of an Empire

by hattoriSei



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Ancestor-Era, Ancestors, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-28
Updated: 2013-03-29
Packaged: 2017-12-06 18:04:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/738553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hattoriSei/pseuds/hattoriSei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the beginning there was no Imperial Fleet. There was no Empire. There was no Empress. Until a single grub was discovered.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

It rained fire that night.

Streaks of flaming debris filled the sky. Most disappeared and sputtered out, landing only as dead or dying embers.

All but one.

The indigos said it was a sign. But what did those idiots really know? They were a barbarous tribe, religious zealots above all the others. I am a believer in the goddess myself, and worship the god of my caste as well, but they saw great omens in the evening meal. It was ridiculous.

Either way, the king did send out scouts to investigate. And lucky me, I was on the team, though I'm just a child, the captain's apprentice.

The wreckage spread along the beach, a deep, blackened furrow, edges glittering from the molten sand. It led to the ocean.

We were all forced into the water. There was a rough, smoky feeling against my gills, and they itched like crazy. But we kept diving deeper, following the trench.

Soon enough, a shape appeared in our sight, a huge mark on the otherwise clear shelf floor. And as we approached, that's when I heard it. A quiet mewling chirp, only barely familiar. It took me several minutes to place it.

As the others broke up to investigate the rock further, I swam around, seeking out the source of the noise. Spotting a tail at last, I swam and picked up the small wriggler. I brushed against its hair to try to calm it, to quiet its cries. With a squeak, it turned to me.

Yelping, I nearly dropped her. Staring back at me, staring straight into my soul, were a pair of bright, impossible, fuchsia colored eyes.

-


	2. Chapter 1

When I brought the wriggler to the captain, I had to protect her. Something told me she couldn't be culled. Not here, not now.

He looked at me with disappoint, for the first time ever. But no matter how much that hurt, I didn't let her go. I begged him to _look_ at her. Displeasure morphed into disbelief when he saw her eyes.

"Goddess above..." he murmured to himself before ordering me to stay with him as th esearch continued. It proved fruitless. In the entire area around the meteor, this little wriggler was the only thing found.

So we returned, grub napping in my arms, to report. Before entering the palace, the captain tried to take her from me, but she woke and started crying, only stopping when she was in my arms again. Scowling, he dragged us along with him, to meet the king.

I'd never met him before. He sat on his throne, dressed black, golds, silver, and a  plethora of violets. A single indigo band rested on his wrist, denoting the political moiraillegiance he shared with the indigo chieftan.

The heavy gaze he fixed on me when i walked in made me shiver. Such age, such blood. He;d seen much, done much, and was still strong.

As the captain spoke, I stood to the side, keeping her entertained. She was chirping quietly as I dangled a silver chain in her face when my name was called and my master gestured me forward.

I was commanded to show the grub, so I held her up for the king to see her clearly. She wriggled in my hands as he leaned forward.

"Well I'll be. She really does have fuchsia eyes." His grin was nigh-on predatory. He held out arms for her, and I, slightly reluctantly, handed her over.

She was quiet, squirming in his hands. She looked up at him and made a small chirping noise. I was honestly surprised, considering what her reaction to leaving me before had been.

Then without warning, she growled and bit his hand! Precious violet welled up beneath her sharp teeth. A single wave of his hand, and she was flying through the air.

I was barely able to catch her. But I did, because I had to. She still couldn't die.

The captain and the king once again started talking, and I returned to the grub. She was making a face, trying to spit out the blood she'd gotten in her mouth. Using a scrap of cloth, I helped her clean it off of her teeth.

"Congratulations,"" the king said, making me look up at him. "You're no longer on the patrol squad." That piece of news had me devastated. Leave the patrol squad? That's what I'd been training for my entire life! But then came the next piece of news.

"No, instead, you will be caring for our little miracle here."

And that's how I came to be caring for a small fuschia-blooded wriggler.

-

**Author's Note:**

> You can find my personal tumblr at http://hattorisei.tumblr.com/


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